The I Care Club

There’s a famous saying attributed to Theodore Roosevelt – “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” We live in a world filled with knowledgeable people. The question is, do those who know, care? The Torah speaks about the importance of action being the main thing (Avot 1:17). Learning is not an end to itself. It is the means to the end.

The Torah asks the question, “Which is greater – Torah study or Mitzvah observance?” The Torah answers that Torah study is greater… because it leads to action (Kiddushin 40a). The greatness of study and knowledge is when that information gained is put into action. We study so that we will know what to do. But we must do…

I – YOU – ALL OF US

Today, we have I-phones. We have I-pads. We have all sorts of “I” things. We are very centred on the “I” part of our lives. But there is something much greater than all the “I’s” of today’s modern things. It is what relates to something that goes back to times before all the “I’s” began. It is the attitude of the “I Care”!

INTENSIVE CARE!

I Care – has yet another interesting meaning. It’s initials are “I.C.” Those who have had severely ill family or friends (or this could apply to oneself of course) may know of the famous I.C. room. It is the Intensive Care room. When a patient is in this room, we know how much assistance he/she needs. It is here where life and death can be found. Here, in this room, there is a possibility for life, and there is also the possibility of death – God forbid. The attitude of the “I Care” person is similar. It relates to the person who testifies to the knowledge of what I.C. really means. It is a focus on the other who may find him/herself in a bed unable to get up – hoping and praying that until they can somehow get themselves up and be stronger, they are in urgent need of support from those on the outside.

THE I CARE CLUB – PURCHASE A PHOTOGRAPH (or something else!)

We have started a new campaign in our lives, and we ask you to be a part of it. We ask you to be a member of our “I Care” club and to help us so that we can get up and on our feet – one day soon! Having lived in Israel for over 11 years, we have been through a lot. We arrived with nothing, and found ourselves doing everything and anything we could to survive. Slowly, however, the tremendous strain of the financial struggle of living in Israel has overtaken us and we have found ourselves to be in IC in need of IC people.

For a few years, we were highly involved in photography in order to support ourselves. Unfortunately, we ended up making amounts of as low as 300 shekels for a Barmitzvah and 700 shekels for a wedding. The pressure of bargaining in Israel is a high one. For the most part, clients wanting service have a way of asking for the price they want. Not being able to support ourselves any other way – we took whatever opportunities we could. But it proved to be less fruitful than we had hoped. Ordinary expenses tore away at the little we earned, and we have found ourselves falling to rock bottom.

HELP A FELLOW

The Torah teaches us that we should help our fellow in a way that one would help a donkey with a load. When the load is on the donkey, then even if it seems to be falling, one can always help the donkey to balance it on again and maintain it. Once it has fallen (the donkey with the load, or the load itself) it becomes impossible for even five people to get it back up again (Leviticus 25:25). The Rambam teaches that the highest level of charity is to give another a loan or to employ him / support his business (Matnot Aniyim 10:7). Indeed, one should even help another to such a degree as to keep him on his level of support that he had been used to all his life! Should he have had someone to walk in front of him while on his donkey – then assist him to get back to that level. For the one who has been used to something, falling from that level can be tragic! (The psychology learned from Torah is sometimes quite amazing!)

URGENT!

Our situation is URGENT and we are in need of help to get on our feet again. With our current contract expiring in just a couple of months, we must meet the needs of the landlord to repaint our apartment, pay for the massive moving fees to our next place and to provide three months worth of checks upfront to be cashed in one day – before we even stand a chance of having a roof over our heads. Our computer is about to give in totally and we will be unable to use it for very much longer – even unable to teach online anymore. Other parts of our normal life are having drastic consequences for us being able to continue with the work we are involved in. We will not be able to continue life without getting a new start in where we are at.

With this – we come to you and ask you to support out initiative – and take something away for yourself too! We will be uploading photographs we have taken throughout our careers. We will be selling them at the current amount of ₪1000 per photograph. This amounts to 55 times 18 (Chai) – bringing life to us – with an additional 10 added for the perfection of all things which include the 10 Sefirot. You will receive the photograph printed with an “I Care” badge on it and the image will be printed onto canvas – making a beautiful image to hang in your living room or business. Let others see the difference you are making in others’ lives and the additional beauty you have added to your room.

Naturally all other donations are currently welcome as we need a miracle to get out of our current situation. You can also become a member of our site – making yourself a part of all our learning and teaching and assisting us in abundance! However, buying our photographs this way will give us much honour and respect, making us feel like we are giving something to the world that others want. In addition – you will be taking a part in the great Mitzvah of charity. In return, the fruits of the reward will be gained with a beautiful image (at least!) while the main reward is secure for “another time”.

Please help us by selecting the tag “I Care Club” on our page, viewing the photographs as they come up and purchasing at least one yourself! Do let your friends know and please encourage them to take part in assisting us too.

Eliyahu Shear

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